Unity Coffee

What Unity Coffee does

Unity Coffee is a UK-based, privately-held startup founded in 2025 and headquartered in Oxford that operates a digital-first automated retail platform for premium self-serve coffee. The company places connected coffee machines in high-traffic partner venues — gyms, hotels, flexible workspaces, and fuel stations — providing a full turnkey solution that includes the machine, consumables, training, marketing materials, and ongoing maintenance to venue operators. The core hardware, the Unity Coffee Machine, combines temperature-controlled extraction for barista-quality drinks with integrated Nayax contactless payment terminals and QR code scanning, and is paired with a mobile application (iOS and Android) that handles ordering, payment, location finding, and a dynamic loyalty program offering personalised rewards and digital vouchers. Beverages dispensed include espresso-based drinks, matcha and dirty matcha lattes sourced from Blendsmiths, and hot chocolate, all built around a signature coffee blend developed exclusively with Lincoln & York, the UK's largest family-run roastery, using beans from Brazil and Central America roasted specifically for the Unity hardware.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market combining a B2B channel-partner motion (venue operators receive concessions as managed-service deployments) with a product-led growth motion at the consumer level (app download, contactless machine purchase, loyalty accrual). Revenue derives from three streams: per-transaction machine sales processed via Nayax, B2B partner concession fees for turnkey venue deployments, and direct-to-consumer online sales of Unity ground coffee and branded merchandise via a Shopify storefront at unitycoffee.uk (e.g., £7 for a 250g bag of coffee, £20-£52 for apparel). Distribution is currently UK-only, with London pilot tests completed and a planned rollout of more than 500 machines over the next 12 months funded by a $2.7M April 2026 funding round that brought total disclosed funding to $4M. The company was founded by Scott Martin, co-founder of Coffee Nation, the predecessor business to Costa Express that was sold to Coca-Cola for £3.9bn — a lineage that underpins the team's claimed expertise in scaling premium self-serve coffee in the UK market.

Name

Unity Coffee

Legal name

Unity Coffee Technologies Limited

Website

https://unitycoffee.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Unity Coffee is a UK startup that places connected self-serve coffee machines in gyms, hotels, flexible workspaces, and fuel stations, pairing the hardware with a mobile app for contactless ordering and dynamic loyalty to deliver barista-quality drinks at lower prices than traditional coffee shops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automated Self-Serve Coffee Retail

NAICS

Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Drive-Thru Coffee Stands & Coffee Kiosks (THAFADAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Beverages-to-Go (Coffee, Smoothies, Juices, Fountain/Dispensed) (CRAHAKAI)

Keywords

• Self-serve coffee machines
• Automated coffee retail
• Smart vending machines
• Mobile coffee ordering
• Specialty coffee retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Machine Product Sales: Revenue from beverages dispensed via Unity Coffee self-serve machines. Purchases made directly at machines via third-party Nayax payment terminals. Barista-quality drinks at pricing designed to be lower than traditional coffee shops.
2. Online Product Sales: Sale of packaged coffee (Unity ground coffee) and branded merchandise (t-shirts, hoodies, fleece, caps) via the company's Shopify-powered website and mobile app. One-time purchase transactions processed via PayPal and other third-party providers.
3. Partner Concession Fees: B2B revenue model where Unity Coffee provides complete turnkey solutions to venue partners (gyms, hotels, workspaces, fuel stations) including machines, consumables, training, marketing, and maintenance support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Unity Coffee operates a network of premium self-serve coffee machines placed in high-traffic partner venues (gyms, hotels, flexible workspaces, fuel stations). Each machine features built-in contactless payment, QR code scanning, and temperature-controlled extraction to dispense barista-quality espresso-based drinks, matcha lattes, and hot chocolate. A companion mobile app enables contactless ordering, dynamic loyalty rewards, and tailored offers for individual consumers.

Product overview

Unity Coffee is a digital-first automated retail platform combining self-serve coffee machines with a mobile app. The core offering consists of the Unity Coffee Machine (self-serve automated coffee machine with built-in payment and QR scanning), the Unity Coffee App (for mobile ordering, contactless payment, loyalty rewards, and tailored offers), and Unity Coffee Drinks (espresso-based beverages, matcha, and hot chocolate). The company also sells Unity Ground Coffee (signature blend for home brewing) and branded Unity Coffee Merchandise through its online store. Scott Martin, co-founder of Coffee Nation (later Costa Express), founded the company to challenge traditional coffee pricing models with barista-quality drinks at lower prices, targeting high-traffic locations including gyms, hotels, flexible workspaces, and fuel stations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Unity Coffee Machine Self-serve automated coffee machine with built-in payment terminal and QR scanning capability, featuring temperature-controlled extraction for barista-quality coffee. Deployed in partner venues including gyms, hotels, flexible workspaces, and fuel stations as a turnkey solution including machine, consumables, training, marketing, and maintenance.
• Unity Coffee Mobile App Mobile application available on iOS and Android enabling contactless ordering, QR code scanning at machines, real-time loyalty rewards, location finding, and account management for Unity Coffee customers.
• Unity Coffee Beverages Range of hot beverages dispensed at Unity Coffee self-serve machines, including espresso-based drinks (Americano, Cappuccino, Flat White, Espresso, Latte), Matcha Latte, Dirty Matcha Latte, and Hot Chocolate. Coffee is sourced and roasted by Lincoln & York; matcha and hot chocolate ingredients are supplied by Blendsmiths.
• Unity Ground Coffee Unity signature coffee blend packaged in 250g bags for home brewing, developed with Lincoln & York roastery. Contains beans from Brazil and Central America with tasting notes of milk chocolate, caramelised nuts, and soft stone fruit; available in filter and cafetiere grind.
• Unity Coffee Merchandise Branded Unity Coffee apparel sold through the online merch store, including t-shirts (£20-£24), hoodies (£42), sherpa fleece (£52), and faded six panel caps (£20), offered alongside the Unity ground coffee product.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Lincoln & YorkcoreTechnology or IntegrationUK's largest family-run roastery with over 30 years of experience. Supplies Unity Coffee's signature coffee blend sourced from Brazil and Central America. Beans bring body, chocolate and nut notes from Brazil, with stone fruit lift from Central America. Roasted specifically for Unity machines to ensure consistent quality, aroma, and taste in every cup.
• BlendsmithscoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides matcha for matcha latte and dirty matcha latte drinks, and hot chocolate ingredients for Unity Coffee machines. Premium matcha is lightly sweet and perfectly balanced with milk. Hot chocolate is rich and smooth using proper West African cocoa.
• NayaxcoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party payment terminal provider for contactless card payments at Unity Coffee self-serve machines. Processes payments at point of sale. Unity Coffee does not store full card details.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform powering Unity Coffee's online store at unitycoffee.uk. Provides website hosting, payment processing for online product sales, and infrastructure for customer data management.
• PayPalsupportingTechnology or IntegrationThird-party payment provider for online product purchases via Unity Coffee website and app. Alternative payment method to credit/debit cards.
• Royal Mail, DPD, EvrisupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party courier services used for order fulfillment and delivery of online merchandise purchases. Specific carrier varies based on location, order size, and delivery option selected.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Costa Express: Costa Express is the UK's leading self-serve barista-style coffee machine network with around 14,000 machines globally, owned by Coca-Cola. It is Unity Coffee's most direct competitor in the automated premium coffee category and is the direct corporate successor of Unity founder Scott Martin's previous business Coffee Nation, making it the most comparable peer on product, model, and category.
• Harris + Hoole: Harris + Hoole is a UK specialty coffee chain with locations primarily inside Tesco stores and other high-footfall venues. It is a direct UK peer operating premium coffee in non-traditional high-traffic locations, comparable to Unity Coffee's venue model of placing coffee in gyms, hotels, and fuel stations.
• Joe & The Juice: Joe & The Juice is a global premium coffee and juice bar chain with strong presence in the UK, focused on high-traffic urban locations and a digital-first customer experience including a mobile app. It is comparable as a digitally enabled, premium-beverage brand competing for similar high-footfall venues and consumer occasions in the UK.
• Coinadrink: Coinadrink is a UK-based vending and automated coffee machine operator serving workplaces, leisure, and hospitality venues. It is a direct UK peer in the self-serve coffee machine category, operating a similar venue-partnership model and competing for the same gym, hotel, and workplace placements Unity Coffee is targeting.

Broad incumbents

• Selecta: Selecta is a leading European unattended self-serve coffee, snack, and food vending operator with a large installed base of machines across workplaces and public venues. It is comparable as an incumbent in automated hot beverage vending at scale, though it serves a broader vending remit rather than specializing in premium self-serve barista-style coffee.
• Nespresso (Professional / Nespresso Momento): Nespresso, part of Nestlé, operates professional self-serve coffee solutions (Nespresso Momento) for offices, hotels, and hospitality venues worldwide. It is comparable as a scaled incumbent in premium self-serve coffee for B2B venues, competing with Unity for the same hotel and workplace segments but with significantly larger brand and distribution.
• Bewley's: Bewley's is an established Irish and UK coffee and foodservice brand with a presence in offices, hotels, and travel hubs. It is a broad incumbent peer offering premium self-serve and staffed coffee in similar B2B venue segments to Unity Coffee.
• Caffè Nero: Caffè Nero is a major UK specialty coffee chain with hundreds of high-street cafés. It is comparable as a UK premium coffee brand that Unity Coffee indirectly competes with for the same daily coffee occasion, though Caffè Nero operates staffed retail locations rather than self-serve machines.
• Lavazza (Lavazza A Modo Mio / Professional): Italian coffee major Lavazza offers self-serve professional coffee machines and capsule systems in offices, hotels, and foodservice. It is a broad incumbent peer in premium self-serve coffee, with comparable machine-plus-bean offerings targeting similar B2B venue partners in the UK and Europe.

Others

• Schaerer (machine manufacturer): Schaerer is a Swiss manufacturer of professional self-serve coffee machines used by Costa Express and other vending operators. It is a comparable ecosystem participant as the technology vendor whose machines underpin much of the automated self-serve coffee industry Unity Coffee operates in.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/unitycoffeeuk
• TikToktiktok.com/@unity_coffee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unity-coffee-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Unity Coffee